


Take A Deep Breath

by sassy_ada_barba



Category: Law & Order: SVU, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Rafael Barba - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, there hasn't been any Barba episodes in a long time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 19:30:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5102999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassy_ada_barba/pseuds/sassy_ada_barba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barba and his struggles with what happens on season 17 premiere.<br/>rated rape/non con because of the nature of the show</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> spoilers on season 17 premiere

June 7 

There was nothing more he longed for that day than for the day to be over. He needed vacations, which he knew very well that he was not going to take in at least two years . . . all thanks to Rudnick.

All he wanted to see was his bed, his pillows and a very good sleep and to maybe wake-up with all the cases in which Rudnick provided his medical expertise, suddenly dealt with.

“I am going home.” Rafael said to the squad, “And don’t even dare to bother me if you do not have anything solid. Physical evidence!”

***

The minute he stepped out, he was hit by a wave of hunger and a thirst for a mojito, or whiskey. It was eleven and all he wanted was just to sleep. He wanted to eat, sleep and for all the chaos to go away. He made his way to his townhouse. He also needed a shower. He could also very much use a warm hug from his girlfriend, but then she would want to know what was going on and he wouldn’t and couldn’t. After all, it was an open investigation that if they were on the right track, it meant that this would lead into more open investigations.

But it was always a reflex of him to call her whenever his work day was done. And this time was no different.

Her phone rang, and rang until she answered. Her voice sounded as if she had been sleeping and he had woken up.

“Now you remember me.” She teased him with her sleepy voice.

“Oh Bela, you do not know how good it is to hear your voice. I just wanted to hear your voice.” Rafael said to her. 

“You still at the precinct or were you at your office?”

“Precinct.” He answered. “Is Matthew with you this week or is he at Caleb’s?”

“Caleb’s. He switched week with me. Which is the only reason I was sleeping, otherwise, I would have been cleaning after him and his toys. You want to come over?” Bela asked.

“Do you have food?” He asked her, “I am starving. I have had today around seven cups of coffees. Precinct coffee. And the pastries that Carisi brought this afternoon. I need food, real food.”

“Well, you in luck. I have left overs from yesterday. You know that I have been wanting to have Matt grow fond hispanic food? Well, I tried and he ate a little bit of rice yesterday beforehe left with Caleb. He ate rice and beans. I am so proud. He liked it.”

“So if it passed Matthew’s test, and he isn’t at the hospital I suppose that it will be safe for me.”

“Oh yes. I even ate that for dinner tonight. Come over. I am alone. I feel lonely.”

Rafael laughed, “Isabela, are you aware that you often invite me over to your place when Matt is at your ex-husband’s, right?”

“Because I know that you are more willing to come since I have to tuck him in, clean after him, you know the drill very well.Besides you know how Matt gets when you come here. Which is odd when you consider that he is really excited when you told him that you would buy him that big Mickie Mouse for his birthday. Just come over. I have missed you.”

“I am getting on a taxi now.” Rafael said, “I call you when I get there.”

***

While she was warming up the food in the stove, Isabela received a phone call from her ex-husband, asking her if he could go by in the morning to pick up Matthew’s ID card and the permit for a school trip to the Natural Museum. Isabela could have sworn that she had put it in her son’s folder. But her son must have taken it out. He was in the age in which he wanted to do his own backpack, even though he was almost three years old.

She found it under his bed, alongside with his ID Card and sneakers.

Traffic was a little congested, but he made it to Isabela’s apartment after almost fifty minutes, which was not a lot of time, but he was just tired and hungry. He buzzed for her, and opened the gate quickly taking the elevator before the doors closed on him. He pressed Isabela’s floor and noticed that they had finally changed the lights in the elevators.

When he stepped off the elevator, he hurried his way to the inside of her apartment. He knocked three time, and noticed that it was open.

“I could have been a burglar.” Rafael said to Isabel when he entered.

“But you weren’t!” Isabela said as turned off the stove. Rafael placed his jacket and briefcase on the table before walking towards her. “You look tired.”

“I am exhausted.” Rafael said taking her hands in his. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

“Come here.”

There was a moment in which there was absolute silence. He had buried his face against the curve of her neck. He stayed there for at least thirty-seconds before he pulled his head up to plant a kiss on her lips.

“You have a lot going ton at work. I have read the newspapers.”

“If this right, I wont be having a vacation in two years, Isabela. Forget I coming along to Orlando with you and Matthew for his birthday in July. I am 

“Relax!” Isabela laughed, “Just get in the shower. I threw some towels in the drying machine. I know you like the warm.”

A pleasing smile rose in his face, “You are too good for me.” Rafael said with a smile, as she began to undo his tie “Too good.”

“Well, I just have very low standards.” Isabela sighed deeply, but short enough to not let Rafael refute her comment, “Now you go on, shower. Let all your worries go down the drain for at least seven in the morning.”

In the shower, Rafael struggled with the shower curtain. Everytime he got in, he created a pond outside. Water always found its way to escape. He was just not used to her shower. Her tub was better, but his shower was better than hers. At least that was what her son Matthew thought.His thoughts became clear for just a moment. The thought of just spending the night with Isabela, hugging her, her head against his chest while she played with his chest hair made it all seem so good.

“Here are the towels.” Isabela said entering, “And the mop.”

“I am sorry.” Rafael said as he came out, picking up one of the towels that she had set in the little shelves above the toilet seat, quickly wrapping it around his waist“I just . . . your curtain.”

“I know. Just come, food is ready and warm. And I want to cuddle and listen to you.”

Suddenly, he felt the urgent need to smile. Her face, she was so warm and she had such an abundant patience. His Mother would have already called him off for not being polite, but she, Isabela just allowed him to be himself under such circumstances. “I am sorry. I come here, moody and I haven’t even asked you how you are doing. How is Matthew?”

“You have reasons why yo be like this.” Isabela said as she placed the second towel around his neck. “Plus, you are starving.”

Rafael lowered his head to kiss her. She pulled him by the towel, making Rafael chuckle. “I am.”

“Then come. Let’s feed that need of yours, before we move on to the other ones.”

***

“Will you tell me a little bit more?” Isabela asked while he ate.

“Nope. Open investigation.” Rafael said.

“I will read or hear of it in the newspaper.”

“That is what we have, Bela. I don’t want to burden you with all that. I want to leave it was the precinct and at the office. Right now, I just want to be here, not at work, with you.”

“I know that, and I understand it. But I worry.”

“You shouldn’t worry.” Rafael said as he pushed his chair closer to hers. 

“But I do, Rafa. I mean, you should talk to someone. I get it if it is not me. I just don’t want you to keep it all in. I know that you are healthy. That you workout and that you eat as healthy as you can, but you drink coffee as if it as water. And that takes a toll on your blood pressure, and your blood pressure—”

“Hush.” Rafael laughed, “You stop worrying.”

“I am not joking and do not hush me.” Isabel spat as she stood up, “I know the kind of job you have. My Dad is a lawyer and I know the kind of stress that you bring home. I know the kind of problems you share, and the ones that you hide.”

“Isabela—”

“You have a horde of cases that are going to be subjects for appeals and you say that you are fine. Which I know that you are not. You work your ass off. You give yourself and your heart to each one of your cases and you fight them until you realize that you cannot no more.”

“I get it.” Rafael said taking a deep breath, “But don’t worry.”

“You are forty, Rafael. Your blood is part caffeine. My Dad, you know that he suffered his first heart attack when he was forty-six.”

He smiled. Rafael smiled. In complete honesty. This was one of the things he love most about her. It wasn’t the sex or that she was physically appealing, or the fact that she was a woman who had made herself in spite coming from a family very differentfrom his, in terms of socioeconomics. It was that she always wanted to take care of everyone. She wanted to know and make sure that everyone was okay.

“I know that my darling. Just, trust me love. Trust me, okay?”

Isabela was as stubborn as he was. He saw her swallow hard and push her light brown bangs away from her forehead, and back to her hair. She looked up while she bit on the inside of her cheek, looked at him over her shoulder before whispering, “Okay.”

He took her hand and pulled her towards him. He patted his lap, for her to sit, “Look. Yes, Hell is coming over me if Rudnick is found guilty, which I believe he will. But I’ll deal with it. Just like I always do. AndI do have you to count on, right?”

“Of course you do.” Bela sighed before repeating herself, “Of course you do.”

“Could we just not argue. Please? I just want to—”

“I am sorry. I didn’t even allowed you to properly having supper.”

“Oh, I am done.” He said pushing the place away. “Why don’t you head over to bed? I’ll clean everything.”

“You are not going to finish?” She asked.

“If I keep eating, I wont be able to sleep with heartburn. It was delicious though.”

“You head up first.” She said before kissing him, “I’ll clean while you rest.”

“No, you go.” Rafael was unbraiding her hair while he spoke “I called, you were already _en tu quinto_ _sueñ_ o .  I woke you up and you took everything out again. I know how to do dishes.”

Closing her eyes, Isabela sighed, “Okay, but hurry up. I am waiting for you.”

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

When Rafael got to Isabela’s room it was dark. She had turned all lights off and had lighted up two rather sweet scent candles. One was settled in her a nightstand, and the other one in the opposite side of the bed.

“I like those.” Rafael yawned as he got into bed. “They make me think of clean laundry.”

Isabela chuckled, “Well, that is because you are right. Clean cotton. I love it. Matthew loves it. You love it.”

“Did you silent or turned off your phone? I don’t want you to be awake during the night. I want you to have a goodnight sleep, Counsellor. So do I.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He said as he fluffed his pillow. “I explicitly told the detectives not to call until they had anything solid.”

“Better be that way, because I am not planing to let you go this night.”

Rafael bit his lip as he pulled her over to him. He really did enjoy when she said what she wanted. Specially when they were in bed. When he placed his arms around her, he quickly noticed a difference in her stomach. He felt her thinner.

“You have lost weight.” He whispered.

“I have been working out. Nice to see that you noticed.”

He was rubbing his chin against her shoulder while he kissed the beginning of the curve of her neck. His hands were now on her hips. 

It was as if she was able to read her thoughts, but when she felt those fingers go up to her waist, she instantly begged not to be tickled. But alas, it was too late.

His fingers were tickling her in her waist, making her body tremble at his touch in a very different way that he also made her tremble. 

Isabela was a fighter, and right now she was kicking and laughing as she tried to escape his hold. But as time passed, the stroke of his fingers became less strong, and more sensual. He had stopped laughing, and with his lips now he was leaving a trail of kisses up and down her neck.

“It would be a pity to start this week without some love, don’t you think?” Rafael asked in between kisses.

“Rafael Barba, are you truly initiating intercourse?”

There was a moment of silence. Rafael froze, but a smile found its was growing. “I am!” He whispered just before pressing his lips against her neck. His hands that had been in her waist, tickling her proceeded to further south. This time, his hands were gentler.His mouth had moved north, to her earlobe, something he had discovered last time they were together alone. In the very same position they were now. The only difference was that the last time they were at his place, and that now they were still dressed.

“Bela, why are you so soft, and so warm?” Rafael groaned as he slipped his hands inside her underwear.

Biting her lips, Isabela moaned. There was a smile in her face. Her eyes were closed. His hands, his hands were so big, and that truly felt good. But he was teasing her. He was rubbing his fingers against her hip bones, her thighs but not her sex.

“You can be an ass, you know that?” She was out of breath.

“Me?” Rafael asked. “I’ve been told.”

“You are getting me all hot and bothered, Counselor. That’s unfair. I can feel that you are getting off on this, and I am not.”

They were side by side. Her buttocks against his crotch. She could feel that he was starting to get hard. His erection starting to poke at her. But Rafael could be a little selfish when he wanted. And he was being selfish now.He was getting lost in the lust the kisses in her neck, her earlobes and warm skin where giving to him.

Tired of the endless teasing, she pushed him away.

He protested. He would eventually give her, and himself what they both wanted so much. But he liked how impatient she would get. Her arched back, her soft moaning. It was all too good, and different when compared when they were in the throws of lovemaking.

“Rafael no!” Isabela grunted, her Puerto Rican accent slipping our of her, “You were teasing me and I know that you were going to continue to tease me until you couldn’t anymore, which would leave unfinished when you are done.”

“Isabela  Rodríguez  Castillo, when have I ever leaved you hanging?” Rafael asked. 

Bela remained silent. Her smooth shoulders were still facing him.

“Bela, darling. Mi amorcito?”

“Look, right now I am in the point in which I can easily fall asleep and not complain on how you turned me on and did nothing afterwards. You either get to it.You stop with the teasing, get on top of me and kiss me.”

“Oh!” Rafael gasped, “That’s what you want. But I want it different.” Rafael was now getting closer to her. “ See, I want you on top.” He said whispering in her ear. “ I want to see your face, as you take control away from my hands.” 

His hands were now traveling down her arms, “See your precious face as you close your eyes, and I have my hands on your waist, pushing you down” His hands had now found a way to her underwear, and he had slipped his fingers inside and started to stroke her. Isabela moaned at his first touch. He first started slow, in circular motions, but then he quickened his pace. “Watch your breasts go up and down, up and down, and you biting your lower lip, moaning softly like you do.” Isabela was breathing harder. Shehad reached for his head with her arm and pulled him closer towards her. She turned her head to him. She wanted him to stop talking. She wanted to feel her lips against his. “You throwing your head back while you take one of your hands to guide one of mine so I start stroking you there”

She was bucking her hips now. His fingers, they were doing wonders. Magic. His kisses, the shadow of his beard against her chin . . . she was about to get there, but he stopped. He pushed down her underwear, struggling a little. Alas, Isabela helped.She pushed hers down and moved to face him. She showed her underwear which he threw towards the floor, and so did his pants, right before she got on top of him.

“Oh!”  

That was the only thing that came out of his mouth.While straddeling him, Isabela took her camisole off, and placed his hands on her waist. She started out slowly, but gradually quickened her pace. Her head fell back. He was moving according to the rhythm she had set and it felt good.

Too good, and he realized it. As much as he liked giving her absolute control at times, this time, unlike what he had thought, he wanted it now. He pinned her down. His body against her. Isabela liked the weight of his body against hers, and how he thrusted into her. There was determination in each one he gave, but there was also dedication, compromise. Adoration was in the air, and Isabela could feel it whenever he kissed her, when he whispered how much he wanted her, and the naughty things he whispered in Spanish, which she answered back in Spanish and made him laugh.

“You know what I want?” She asked in between kisses. Rafael did not bother to speak. He moaned in her mouth ‘what’ in a way that she could only understand.

“I want to see you in court. Being the warrior that people say you are. The badass that knows how to dress. ADA Rafael Barba. I have this fantasy, in which I am only wearing a raincoat and—”

She stopped talking. She was getting there now. Her orgasm was so close. Almost in the edge, which made Rafael go faster, and faster, and faster until she came.

After a few secons, he came. He rested his head on her right breast and looked up at her.

“And what?” He asked while he rubbed his cheek on her breast.

Isabela was falling asleep.

“Bela?”

“Hm?”

“What were you saying?” He asked as he rolled over, “About the raincoat? You have a fantasy and I want to know.”

She giggled. Afterglow had her giggling and falling asleep. “Of forget it. It was me going crazy, getting lost in lust.”

“Do tell. You have me hooked now, Bela.”

Her fantasy was embarrassing for her. She knew that he was a very good prosecutor, and she wanted to see him do his job . . . while she was only wearing a red raincoat, and black lingerie. 

Watching him say objection, Your Honor, the Latin terms. It got her so hot by just thinking of it.

“I want to see you prosecute someone.” Isabela said, while I am only wearing fancy lingerie and a red raincoat. Other than that, I am naked. Then after you take the son of a bitch down, you take me to your office, and you shut the curtains, lock the door and you take me there, right there against your desk on top of the many warrants that you have to sign, or against your bookshelves, or fireplace. But I told you. It was me, getting lost in lust.”

Rafael was red. “Isabela!” He gasped.

“I know. It is embarrassing, but I just want to see you at court. Do you think is possible for me? To watch you?”

He remained silent for a second. He thought about it, and damn it, the idea of it aroused him. She sitting in the gallery, wearing red, and knowing that she was practically naked underneath. But he laughed, shaking his head.

“If I ever see you in court, specifically dressed like that, I wouldn’t be able to do my job.” He said to her. “Plus, I don’t want you be near guns. And rapists. And killers. But I’ll take the black lingerie, and red coat any day. And wear black heels. I love how you look when you wear heels. And your hair down, like it is now.”

“Anymore suggestions?” Isabela asked.

“Cuddle up with me.” Rafael said.

Smiling, Isabela cuddled him. She was embarrassed. It must have been the hormones that she had released due to her orgasm. She would have never said such thing if her mind wasn’t clouded by the side-effects of sexual pleasure. It just came out of her mouth. She was no longer in her twenties. What the fuck came to her to say such thing!

“In the one and a half year that we have been seeing each other, I had never heard you say something that wild.” Rafael said while planting a kiss on her head.

“Olvidalo.” Isabela said embarrassed. She wanted him to forget, but Rafael had in his head now the thought. He imagined himself in the courtroom, doing what he did best, and then seeing her there. Bright red coat, like the one she had and looking straight at him.

Rafael bursted out laughing.

“If you ever did that, I would probably have to return to a private firm. Which would be good because I would have more time to myself, and to you. Imagine it. I actually having not to schedule vacations a month ahead. Just imagine what it would belike if I could take a week off for personal reasons. But I can’t, because I thrive under chaos. I like chaos. I thrive under stress.”

“That’s not it.” Isabela said this time looking at him. “You need challenges to succeed. You would get bored easily working for a business law firm. You are loud, and you have a strong sense of morality. You are not cut out for that, Rafa. I know your type. You shine where you are. Not only because of your dashing suits and ties, but because you are a star, and I am the Sun. Wait no. Matt is my Sun, I am the moon.”

“No pun intended.” Rafael laughed.

“Pun?” She was confused for a few seconds, “Oh! My son is my Sun.”

“I was really looking forward to go with you and Matt to Orlando. I went once when I was a kid. Damn I had fun, but it would have been more fun if my mother would have had money to buy me things. I really wanted one of those mickey hats with a matching hoodie, but it was really expensive.”

“Oh it is still expensive. But I have my savings. They aren’t as big as yours but I am sure that I can spoil him my baby that is turning three years old for a little while.”

“I am going to be honest here. I want to go so that way I could bribe him into liking me. I was going to say yes, everytime you said no. Everytime he wanted an ice cream and you were mean, I was planning to say yes. I want him to truly like me, Isabela.”

“And he does.” Isabela said, “But he likes me more. After all, I am his Mama.”

“I don’t blame him. You are my favourite too.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Isabela was surprised to see him still sleeping when she woke up. It was rather late for him, considering the fact that he usually left around 6:30am and it was now 7:15am. His alarm went off, and he did not heard it. He was dead sleep. Like a rock. And she allowed him to continue sleeping. She made breakfast, an egg tortilla with bacon, sausages, potatoes, and peppers. If her baby would have been with her that week, Matthew would have insisted to cut the bacon in tiny slices.

This was the first summer that she have had off ever since in a very long time. The university she worked at gave her an extra month of maternity leave since she could hardly walk, but those did not fell like vacations at all. This were her real vacations. She was in her apartment, walking around in her sweatpants, preparing a decent breakfast that was not just a croissant with butter and black coffee to go.

She added a little of garlic to the vegetables that were stir-frying in the saucepan and a little bit more of butter. The aroma of the garlic was roaming freely throughout her apartment, and it woke the sleeping beauty in her bed.

Rafael reached for his phone. He had around a dozen of emails that were unread, many of them dealing with Rudnick and the cases he worked in. He let go of the phone in his hand, and buried his face back to the pillow grunting. When realized that Isabela was not by his side, he grunted again.

He wanted Isabela’s messy hair all over his face, while she was tangled in her bedsheets, but the aroma of her cooking had awoken his nostrils, making him get out of bed.

Yawning, he picked his sweatpants up from the floor to put them on. He went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth.

When he came out of the bathroom, he grabbed his phone and started to reply to his emails while sitting on the edge of the bed.

They all had the same lines, _requesting grounds for appeals_ and they were right. The law, unfortunately was on their side. 

“You’re awake.” Isabela smiled.

“And how I am.” He sighed, “I already have a dozen of notifications of cases that are requesting appeals.” He said showing her his phone. “See, I might as well put up to rent my brownstone since I wont be living there. I need a bed at my office.”

“Give me that!” Isabela said snatching his phone from his hand before she opened the kitchen cabinet to hide the phone there. “You wake up, and you start talking about work and I don’t get a hug or a good morning kiss. You do not deserve me, Rafael.”

Rafael quickly shook his head pushed himself off the counter, “You are right, Bela. I don’t. But I promise I am working hard so you can think I am worthy of you.”

“Keep all that sweet talk, Rafa.” Isabel said before he kissed her, “You might go to work with my blessing.”

Out of breath, Rafael smiled. “What kind of blessing?” 

Isabela was playful that morning, Rafael thought. Her hands were playing with his already messy hair, and she was playfully biting his lower lip, which for him . . . well, it was his thing. She pressed her body against him, and gave a small chuckle. “I think you know which kind, but not this morning. My tortilla is burning, shit!”

Rafael was left hanging. He took a deep breath with his eyes closed. 

“You mind passing me a plate?” Isabela asked, “The light blue ones.”

It took a second for him for his mind to process. “Left one, right?” He asked referring to the cabinets.

“Yep. And you can add milk to your own coffee. I boiled it. Add it to your liking.”

Isabela liked her coffee with a lot of milk or cream. Rafael liked it almost black. Well, at least when he had to work. Which was always now.

“Do you have brown sugar?”

“Fridge, and you need to shave.” Isabela said, “I love the look, but it may look that you are losing control with work, honey.”

“I thought you liked it.” He said touching his cheek.

“I do. But it doesn’t look good for work under the circumstances now. People will be like, ‘The prosecutor is so over his head that he doesn’t have time to shave’ and we can’t have that, Guapo. Here, start your morning with a healthy breakfast and a kiss.”

“I already started my morning in the right way.”

“Of course you did.” She said with the plate in her hands.

“Yeah, I mean, I stood on my right foot first. I jumped seven times. Scratched my head two times. I got lucky today.”

Isabela scoffed. “Eat.” She said putting the plate on the counter.

Rafael bit his lip. He looked at her, straight in the eyes. He could see that in her eyes, her thoughts were going around the path of ‘I’ll have my payback for that comment’.

“I am kidding. I love you.”

“Eat, Rafael.”

With his hand, he motioned to her to come to his side. Which she did.

“I was kidding.” He said.

“I know.”

“Then why the grumpy face?” 

“Because that comment was lame as fuck.” Isabel said, “And annoying.”

He pulled her close to him. He was siting on the tall stool chair. “I know. That is exactly why I said it.”

“I’ll get you later, Rafael. When you are begging for something, I am going to take my damn time.”

He moaned, “I love it when you get vindictive.”

“Of course you do.” Isabela smiled, “Of course you do.”

He smiled back at her. It was like as if he had been enchanted to her eyes. “I love you, Bela.”He smiled, “I love you.”

“Just eat.” Isabela said, “Food’s gonna get cold.”

“I mean it.” He said taking her hand. “I love you.” He kissed her hand, and rubbed her fingers. He saw the shock in her eyes. Although they had been almost a year and a half, he had never said it to her before. “I don’t want you to say a thing. Don’t say anything. I just want you to know it, Isabela.”

Isabela smiled. She was blushing. When they began going out. It wasn’t official, so their first six months they didn’t commit themselves to the relationship. They weren’t seeing any other people. They just had it hard to trust. She married her ex-husband because she was pregnant. Her parents are Catholic, and even when she was twenty-eight years old, she got scared and married him . . . and then got divorced not even when she was eight months pregnant. She had realized she had rushed things too much. 

At the beginning, she saw Rafael as a friend. After all, he witnessed one time her constant visits to the bathroom in a New Year’s Eve party that her older brother hosted back in the winter of 2012 while she was around four to five months. He was back then another adult with whom she could bitch about how nepotism was taking over the world, and how scary was to be born to religious Catholic parents who did not like that she was only married by the law and not under the eyes of God.

Isabela laughed. She was thinking of the past, and how it had led to the present. 

“What?” She asked bewildered.

He shook his head. “Nothing.” He smiled. He did not know if she heard him. He did not know if she had decided not to hear him. But he smiled big and wide causing his eyes to wrinkle a little bit.

Her attention shifted to the buzzing sound that came from the little speaker attached to the wall. 

It was her ex-husband.

“What is he doing here?” Rafael asked.

“Pick up Matt’s school ID and the permit for the Natural Museum field trip. Behave.”

“I always behave. Is just that everytime he sees me here he gets jealous or I don’t know what.”

“That’s his problem.” Isabela said giving a kiss on the cheek. “He better get used to seeing you here.”

He found himself smiling, and then he heard some knocking in the door.

“My baby is here.” Isabela said when she opened the door.

“Mama, Papa buy me donut for breakfast.” Matthew smiled, “Hi Baba.”

He was going to say hi. Give a high five to the boy, but Isabela stopped him.

“You had a donut for breakfast?” She said kneeling on the floor as she ran her fingers through his caramel curls.

From where he was, he could hear that Bela was not happy with that. But again, Matthew waved his hand at him. “Hola Baba.” This time he said it in Spanish.

“Hola, Matt. Did you had a good night sleep?”

Matthew nodded. “Dada ice cream about sleep. Mama no ice cream before sleep.”

“We’ll talk about this later.” Isabela said to Caleb. 

Isabela went to grab the little zip-lock bag she had in the kitchen counter that inside had his ID card and the permission slip.

“Hot mess that you have over there, Rafael.” Caleb said to him. “How are your bosses?”

“Okay.” Rafael said, “Considering the circumstances.”

“Good.” The curly haired man said as he took the little bag Isabela gave him. “Not a good time to be a D.A? C’mon Matt. If you are late, your Mama will skin me alive.”

“Caleb.”

“Say Bye to Rafael, and to Mama.”

“Bye Mama. Bye Baba.” The little boy waved his hand, after giving a kiss to his mother. Isabela squished his cheeks before giving him a big kiss in his forehead.

“Tell Dada to call me when you get home after school. Okay Matt?” She blew a kiss to him and he threw back a kiss to his Mother, and then stuck his tongue at Rafael; right before Caleb picked him up and held him in his arms.

“I love you Matthew.” She laughed. She closed the door when they got inside the elevator and the doors closed.

“He calls you Mama. He calls Caleb Dada. He calls your Mother Nana, and your Father Papa. I wont complain anymore with him calling me Baba. It is a compliment for me now.”

Rafael went back and continued to eat his breakfast. At that moment, he had forgotten about all the mess he had at work. He was enjoying his coffee, the egg tortilla and the buttered toasts that Isabela had prepared.

“With you cooking things like this for breakfast, I am going to get fat, Isabel.” He said when he finished. 

“No, you wont.” She said as she served herself a rather large portion for herself.

As they were getting in conversation, she ate and she turned the TV just for background noise while Rafael finished shaving and started to get dressed in her rom.

She eyed him. And he sensed it all the way from where he was standing in her bedroom.

“Rafael!”

“Give me a moment, Bela.”

“Rafael, your phone is ringing.”

“Can you check who is it?”

A little annoyed, she stood up. She had just gotten comfortable in her sofa. She looked inside the cabinet in the kitchen and saw that it was Olivia.

“It is your other girlfriend. The one in with whom you have a serious relationship.” Isabela said as she walked towards her room.

“Liv! Good—” 

In that moment, Isabela knew that his day had played to be bad. “What?”

She saw the light go out of his eyes. “Where is Rudnick?” He asked over the phone. “Bela, please turn the TV on. The news.” She reached for the TV clicker inside her bedroom and gave him the clicker. She sat in front of the bed and watched as Rafael went through the menu. He clock in one of the channels and then the headline appeared.

“What do you mean you do not know where the hell Rudnick is?” Rafael asked Olivia. “Frain was supposed to have surveillance?” He asked, “What the hell happened?”

The headline in the TV read, _Fisherman Fishes Dismembered Human Body._

“Okay, okay!” He sighed heavily throughout his nostrils, “I’ll be there. Give me twenty. Maybe half and hour.

He hung up the phone and closed his eyes. “I gotta go.” He said quickly. 

“Was that your witness?”Isabela asked him.

“The prosecution’s star witness. In pieces.” Isabela knew that he was losing his temper. Worst case scenario was taking over. His steps became a little bit clumsy. “And now, they cannot find Rudnick!” He laughed. “They cannot find him and this is just perfect. Icing on the top.”

“I’ll call a cab.” She said.

“Where is my damn vest?” He asked to himself when he could not find it.

It was right in front of him. Isabela saw it while she was calling the cab company and she gave it to him as she spoke with the person on the phone.

His phone started ringing erratically, and so did this work phone. He couldn’t even seem to be able to button his vest correctly, and when she gave the address to the cab company, she held her phone in her ear, pressing it against her shoulder. She pushed his hands away and with her calmed ones, she fixed his tie and button his vest.

“Okay thank you.” She said, “Have a good day, sir.”

She hung up the phone. “Now go, and answer your calls, and wait until the cab comes.” Isabela said as she stroke his chin. 

“I am sorry.” He said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Well, the judge had it coming.” Isabela said, “Allowing that psycho walk away. I mean, who wouldn’t run when faced with three murders and being guilty.”

“Bela, this isn’t on me. I asked for remand. The judge–”

“I am not blaming you, Rafael. Solo tranquilizate, mi amor. Everything is going to be fine. You are going to win this case, baby. Estoy segura.”

He shook his head. “That dumb fate you have in me.” He said. 

“You are only thinking about this as you are now because that is how minds work. Those persistent thoughts. Our minds are trained to work like that. Is a defense mechanism. I am sure that when this is all over, you are going to be able to sit back, and relax while I make you a mojito and—”

“—have Matthew check my heart beat with the fake stethoscope that Ricky bought him.”

“No. I was thinking us at your place. In your bathtub, and me with a margarita at hand.”

“I like the idea of that. Plus never getting out of bed . . . for at least two days. Just sleeping. I swear I will leave my phone’s battery to die.”

She received a text message from the cab company telling her that the cab had arrived.

“Now go. And if you want, we can meet today for lunch.”

He shook his head. “I doubt it. I am going to be really busy today. But come to my place. You are not working and Matthew is at Caleb’s. It will be easier for me to come and go.”

“Nope. You come here. That way you are forced to leave early and come here early.”

She gave him a kiss.

“That is a little manipulative, but I’ll let it pass.” He laughed before leaving.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think :)


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